Month: August 2015

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The scripture for today, August 20, is Proverbs 8:20 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible.

00-COVER-KINDLE“I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice.”

Interestingly, the original Hebrew of “way” is customary path, and the original Hebrew of “paths” is customary road.

If we had a house out in the country, it would have paths leading to and from it. These paths would be taken in our day-to-day life without much thought. In the same way, we live out our principles and moral standards pretty much the same every day on such paths.

But eventually these paths can merge into major roads. Now we have to make major decisions: Which road to take. Our life decisions on such roads must be based on justice.

It is sometimes hard to make right judgments because we can get emotionally involved and start wishing for an outcome that cannot possibly occur. In those cases, we must stand back and consider, “What would be the just thing to do if someone else had to make this decision?”.

We could also ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?”. After all, Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, the Life” (John 14:6).

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The scripture for today, August 19, is Isaiah 8:19f as found in the Old Testament of the Bible”

Header-Jesus' Hands In Clouds“When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.”

It has always been a popular thing to do among some people to try to reach into the spirit world, the world of demons and the dead. They may be very religious people. They may pray a lot and go to worship a lot and read the Bible a lot. But God’s word is not enough for them, so they delve into the other world. God says “they have no light of dawn.”

Do you want to talk to someone in the other world? Pray. God is in the other world. Do you want someone in the other world to talk to you? Read the Bible. That is God talking to you from the other world. What more could we ask?!

How safe we can feel as Christians. God has given us all we need.

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The scripture for today, August 17, is Romans 8:17 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK EIGHT-COME FLY WITH ME-Cover“Now if we are children, then we are heirs ~ heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (see also Galatians 3:16)

I Peter 4:12-14 says we should not be surprised when persecution happens, “as though something strange were happening to you.” If we are insulted because of Jesus, we are blessed.

Notice, we are co-heirs with Christ IF we share in his suffering. Have you shared in Jesus’ sufferings lately? Have you ever in your entire life shared in Jesus’ sufferings? If not, you haven’t told very many people about Jesus loving them, or stood up for Jesus when people around you were making fun of him or using his name as a swear word.

Are we sinning by omission? Do you huddle with your church friends all the time and brag that all the friends you have are Christians? Jesus didn’t. Jesus went out to “seek and save the lost.” Are you seeking?

Some time today, say something to someone about Jesus ~ someone in a store, at work, a neighbor, a fellow passenger on a bus. They probably won’t insult you. This may be exactly what they’ve been looking for. But if they do insult you, accept it graciously. Then go on your way feeling honored to be a “co-heir with Christ” by “sharing in his suffering.”

Try it. You will be glad you did.

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The scripture for today, August 15, is Romans 8:15 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Cover-Bible Women-Createspace“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.”

I knew someone a long time ago who went through a period of being afraid of everything, something she just could not control. Then she found this scripture and applied it to all her fears. She had read it many times before, but this time was able to apply it to her constant fear. She thought to herself, “Stop being afraid! You are a child of God! He is right there with you. Be brave now. And rest in God.”

Are there times in your life when you are a slave to fear? Perhaps it is fear of the dark. Or fear of losing health. Or fear of strangers. Or of a certain nationality. Or of losing a job or home. Or of losing a loved one.

Stop being afraid! Children of God are not afraid. God is right there with you. Be brave. And rest in God.

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The scripture for today, August 14, is Romans 8:14 as found in the New Testament of the Bible.

Old Testament Scroll“Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”

Well, how are we supposed to know the Spirit is leading us? Is it guess work? Does it depend on our emotions and how we are feeling that day? That doesn’t seem fair of God to leave us guessing.

But God does make us guess. Jesus said in John 14:16,17, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another counselor to be with you forever ~ the Spirit of Truth.” And in John 17:17, praying to God the Father, Jesus said, “Sanctify them by the Truth; your Word is Truth.”

Jesus said we are sanctified by God’s Spirit, God’s Truth, God’s Word. How? Not by feelings. Not because someone else said so. Not by touching it or carrying it around in our pocket. But by reading it and following it. Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God”. That is how the Spirit leads us.

We don’t have to guess. We just follow it. Then we are sons of God ~ not slaves of God, but sons. How blessed we are.

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The scripture for today, August 13, is Isaiah 8:13f as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-Cover-KINDLE“The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread, and he will be a sanctuary.”

“Holy” in both the Hebrew and Greek means someone or something set aside as very special. Who or what do we daily set aside as someone or something special? Do we in a sense “worship” that person or thing? Whoever or whatever we worship, we become a slave to. Are we a “slave” to anything in our life? Is there something we cannot control because it controls us? Are we a slave to attention or food or money or power or clothes or houses or cars or etc?

Then, when there is a tragedy in your life, can you rely on those things to get you through? Who or what will be your sanctuary in times of trouble? Will you be able to say, “The Lord Almighty…he will be my sanctuary”?

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The scripture for today, August 12, is John 8:12 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

REV-Cover-Kindle“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’ “

Jesus had only about 6 months left to live. He knew the religious leaders were after his life out of jealousy. Before going to Jerusalem, he told his brothers, “The world cannot hate you, but it hates me” (John 7:7). Knowing people were wanting to execute him, he slipped into Jerusalem after everyone else got there (John 7:10, 14). Then suddenly he appeared in the middle of the Temple complex ~ the size of many football fields. He knew he was safe as long as there was a crowd.

Jesus answered some private questions, and then “he cried out, ‘You know me! You know where I am from!’ ” (John 7:28).

Every day of this feast, a priest would ceremonially pour out some water to represent the water that poured out of the rock when the Jews wandered in the wilderness. But on the last day, the priest did not do this, for it represented their ancestors finally arriving in the Promised Land. It was on this last day of the feast that Jesus “stood and said in a loud voice…

‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink!

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said,

streams of living water will flow from within him’! ” (John 7:38f)

First thing the next morning at dawn he returned to the Temple court. Maybe it was a beautiful sunrise. When the sun was up and the crowds returned, he shouted something else to everyone,”I am the light of the world!” (John 8:12).

He had compared himself to the water ceremony of the day before, and now he was comparing himself to the new dawn. There he was. God the Son crying out to humanity. Come to me! I am doing everything I can to help you! Won’t you come? Please listen to me! Please come! I can save you!!!

Such stubborn love.

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The scripture for today, August 11, is Romans 8:11 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

HS-COVER-KINDLE-GOLD“And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.”

Death literally means separation. Physical death means separation from this body on earth. Spiritual death means separation of our soul from God who is Life. Whenever we sin, our soul dies. It happened to Adam and Eve who didn’t think God meant it when he said, “In the day you eat of the fruit, you will die.” They could no longer walk and talk with God in the garden because they were now separated from him, spiritually dead. With that eventually also came physical death.

There are certain spiritual laws that cannot be broken. For example, it is impossible for God to lie. It is also impossible for God to sin. Therefore, God cannot co-exist with sin. We sin. Another law is that sin demands death. For centuries, God allowed mankind to sacrifice an animal in their place to take their death punishment. But it was just a temporary fix. Finally, he sent the Son in bodily form to be sacrificed in our place and take our death punishment. Now, all we have to do is be “in Jesus” which is accomplished by baptism: Galatians 3:26 says this.

What is the role of our spirit? When we die, we say our spirit has left our body. So, as long as we are alive, it means our spirit is still in us. We are not conscious of our spirit being in us; we just know it is because we are still alive. In the same way, when we become Christians by believing, repenting, confessing and being baptized, God’s Holy Spirit enters us; Acts 2:38 says so. This is when we become spiritually alive; Romans 6:3-4 says so. We are not suddenly conscious of God’s Spirit being in us, but we know it is true because our soul is now alive.

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The scripture for today, August 10, is Nehemiah 8:10b as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK 5-FLOOD GATES-Cover-Print

After exile for 70 years for forsaking God, the Jews were led by Ezra and Nehemiah back to Jerusalem. On a special day, Ezra read the Law of Moses to all the people. And they wept. They were so embarrassed and so sorry they had betrayed God. The above scripture quotation is from that occasion.

But many people find it too humiliating to admit to others that they were wrong. Others find it easy to repent, but never regroup and pull themselves up so they can try again. Still others say, “What I’ve done is so bad, God could never forgive me.”

God can perform miracles. That means he can forgive the greatest sinner. So grieve. Ask for forgiveness. Then start over fresh ~ innocent in the eyes of God. The joy of the Lord is your strength.

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The scripture for today, August 8, is Zechariah 8:8 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK 3-HEARTS AFIRE-COVER“I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.”

The Jews had done terrible things against God. They had worshiped terrible idols that required ghastly things be done in their honor such as setting up brothels with so-called “priestesses” and sacrificing their children on an altar of fire. They had nailed the doors of the Temple closed. They had broken every one of God’s rules. They had sworn at him, rejected him, hated him.

So God punished them with 70 years of exile in Babylon. It was the boomerang effect. They had rejected God, so God rejected them.

But it was not permanent. God is love and has no choice but to love and give people a second chance. Isn’t He amazing? The God of Second Chances?